Clutch and brake control mechanism for centrifugal machines



Aprll 12, 1949. J. HERTRlCH 2,466,989

CLUTCH AND BRAKE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed Oct. 15, 1946 5 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTQR ATTORNEYS April 12, 1949. J, HERTRICH 2,466,989

CLUTCH AND BRAKE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1946 awn/ 22 ATTORNEYS J. HERTRICH CLUTCH AND BRAKE CONTROL MEG April, 12, 1949. 2,466,989

HANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 15, 1946 vw mw liw m p m 8 Patented Apr. 12, 1949 CLUTCH AND CONERQL i IFUGAL Jo e h'liert ch Ham n, Qhiaessigne to The estern St tes Machine 'Gompany,;Hami1ton,

Ohio, I a corporation of Utah Annli atinnQeifher 5, 19%6,:$1-ia 9 193, 93

is invent o e ates to apparatus in heh l of centrifugal ma hines of the type used. i sugar manufacture.

As exemplified herein the invention is applied o a l d ve suspe d d .centri hsal o which a constantly rotating shaft transmits drivin power t r u h a sh t le clu ch and a quarte was d with a washing f id, th resultin Was qu is ol e ted se a a ely a se on roug the sh g s .e ce timied, a d afte a sui ab p i of d y neh s en ue t e dri in system s disconnected and a brake is set to stop the machine.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanical organization giving operations as above outlined which utilizes new combinations of elements motivated manually, electrically and by fluid pressure to secure the de-. sired conditions and movements oithe cont ol apparatus, so as to achieve a less expensive construction of the automatically controlledmachine t h s ex sted heretofor and a c nstr o that is easier to ope at asier to adju t to suit operat n and pro essing eeds, and o -p o under the conditions encountered in sugar centrifuga or A preferred ma ner of constructin and usin this invention is exp a n d ully in the fo owin detailed description and in the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof, while the'parts, improveme ts ,or co binations .di t hgi lsh ih h invention will beset forth pa ticu arly in the hppended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, showin an assem ly of a belt d ven-c htriiuea machine embody n the mproved o ol appar t s;

F a 2 is a iring dia am llustrat n a suitab e contro c cu for the machine;

vFig. 3 is a vertical .s cticn taken long tudina l be: the control shait. some of the train ng a lotherpartsaplk axin in eleizeticn;

.Eie- 4 isa p t al viewapp oxima ely al n i 4-4 o Fi v3 ,shcwine an a ran em n hi the lim t sw tch with th s ent- 0 arn and the i terlev ls cnthe c n a sha t;

i ;5 i View a proxima e y alon ine 5- M Fig, 3 looking from the re r he nteh-shiitins cell r, "leve and sy t m in relati n t9 th centr heit;

' is, is a .ir gmenter .frent le tieh showin the hcs t en oi Par s o the me h nism hen th brak i eset and the drive is disepnnected;

Figis en arg d View, art y fi9lh a Pres u e-responsi esp a e al e in th wa hh s stem o th ihaehine; a d

'Fig. 8 is a rrag nenta yple Vie a proximatel alqne ne 8-8 9t .6 h wi he eqnn Let th brake s t ng oke w th he brake a mfifhe drawin s show the imprpv mehts he cla med emb siieri i asuspeh eii e r to ce tri iieal machin a a basic .Qreehize ien lik that illustrated in .niteii tates R ssu Lette Patent 22,686 and 223 72,- ,A .cehtriii ea s n J car ies a perierate ce t i u al h sket 2 at its lower end am; at its hi her end is suspend d i gyratpr movemen Within a suitabl bent i na h ad ne sh wn. itsi h er end the spin ar iesa belt pul e '3 and a hrek r im so tha thepi lle d u 4, s ind v and basket 2 r volve as a unit- .A drivin b lt fipasses ar un Pu ley 3, over t e cu t mary id er not sh wn) i ing it a nua te hin, and then over a hirin pulle 5 which has a elu eha in l se ured there W i -i 21. elves freel Qnal n haitind eate .s iagramma icaily at i The l ne sha t ar i s a s a le .eent i iige elu eh echanism .9 nside th clutch drum 1 th s m chanism being not sh heeau e its .een t ue ion we l k ow t s itiiees o print shit ha th elutsh h a sh tab elem nt a a sli g hol er it intima ed ieerainmatiealiv nhichisresi ee h ea e s a 8 to engag and d sen ag th en riiuea 9 1 1 9 n the left-han ncisit n ig.- .Q te l r L th (ZIP-01,115 o he en a ed so that th ri n syste hi th .eentriiiieal con ecte e hi e i the pQsitiqn o col a it far her removed ite mum th d g s ste i t he .di eennee hofih :17 iii-he shi t n moveme o l ar 10 .is e ie ti eteei hysuitahle su h as a leve in erhm at U "hailin 12 terme W thaierheden to engag a gro in th sl g c ll r and .having .anqthei' a m '1 a med with a ea s t 14 to engage and be moved by a pinion 15 on a controlsha t '6- v lihebralse drum e e ates with an exte n l 3 brake having bands 20a and 20b linked to a brake spindle 2| which extends vertically through a flxed hub 22 to a point of connection with brake arm 23 at the top. The brake bands are set against drum 4 by clockwise pulling of arm 23 as viewed from above (Fig. 8), and the bands are unset or moved to brake-off position by opposite movement of arm 23.

The centrifugal basket 2 is surrounded by the usual stationary casing or curb 30, having at its bottom a ring valve syrup separator of the type disclosed in Reissue Patent 22,772 of Eugene Roberts. To this end a partition 3| in the curb bottom divides it into inner and outer annular flector ring extends inwardly over the top portion to the inner side of partition 3|. When the deflector ring is seated its outer edge engages and seals with element 35 so that the ring 35 forms with ledge 34 and partition 3| an uninterrupted syrup conducting platform extending from the inside wall of curb 30 into the inner trough 32. When, however, the deflector ring. 36 is raised to the position in which it appears in Fig. 1, where it is spaced away from ledge 34 and its seat 35, this platform is interrupted to form an annular space over the outer trough through which syrup then flowing down the curb wall is entrapped into the outer trough 33, the inner portion of ring 36 remaining in its overlapping or substantially sealed relationship to partition 3 I.

A sprayer 46 of known construction extends into the basket in position to direct a fine spray of washing fluid uniformly against the inside of the basket or its contents when the washing fluid is admitted under pressure at suitable intervals of the operating cycles.

The foregoing represents structures which are known and need not be explained in further deas well as the on and off (drive connecting and disconnecting) movements of the clutch 9 and the oil and On (unsetting and setting) movements of the brake 20, may all be coordinated according to my invention so as to achieve an improved control organization of the type desired.

The sprayer as shown is adapted to be actuated through the combination of a pressure-respon sive valve PV located on the top of curb 30 and a solenoid valve WWSV located on control framing 42. Valve PV, as shown in detail in Fig. '7, has an inlet 43 to which wash water is brought under pressure and an outlet 44 connected to sprayer 46.. Between the inlet and the outlet there is a valve seat 45 which normally is held closed by a valve plunger 46 that fits for vertical sliding movement in a valve casing 41 and normally is held against seat 45 by a compression spring 48. A bleeder hole 49 in the valve plunger connects the inlet 43 with the interior of plunger 46 and casing 47, which in turn is connected with WWSV through a conduit 50 extending from the top of casing 41 to the entrance of WWSV at 5| (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 3). WWSV may be a solenoid valve of any suitable known construction which normally holds the passage from entrance the inner trough 32.

4 5| closed under spring pressure but opens this passage to an outlet or vent 52 (Fig. 3) when an energizing circuit for WWSV is closed.

The bleeder 49 admits fluid pressure from the wash Water line 43 to line 50, thus creating equal fluid pressure conditions on the opposite sides of plunger 46 in the normal, inactive condition of the washing system, so that the spring 48 holds valve PV closed and the Wash water is 01f. Upon the energization of WWSV, however, the pressure in line is released, and since the bleeder causes only a small pressure drop in line 43 the pressure of water in line 43 overcomes the force of spring 48 and opens valve PV to deliver the wash water through line 44 and sprayer 40. A thermometer 54 may be mounted in valve PV, as shown, to indicate the temperature of the wash Water, and a pressure gage 55 also may be mounted in this valve to indicate the pressure of the wash water or other suitable washin fluid. The syrup deflecting ring 36 (Fig. 1) may be shifted by providing it with a series of circumferentially spaced brackets each having an arm 6| extending radially into a housing 62 mounted at the curb bottom. Only one of these several units is illustrated. The housing 62 forms a cylinder 62a for a piston 63 carried on the upper end of a piston rod 64 whose lower end is secured to arm 6|. A compression spring 65 urges the piston 63, rod 64, arm 6| and ring 36 to the upward limit of their vertical movement, where syrup received on curb wall 30 is entrapped into the outer trough 33. At the top of the cylinder 62a. is an inlet line 66 through which fluid pressure may be admitted into the cylinder so as to overcome the compression of spring 65 and force the piston 63 and the deflector ring assembly to the downward limit of their movement, where syrup received on curb wall' 30 is deflected into This fluid pressure is admitted to or restrained from the inlet line 66 by the action of a solenoid valve SSSV which in Fig. 1 is shown mounted on the control iramin 42.

SSSV may be a well known form of electrically motivated three-way air valve, which receives position, and when energized SSSV closes off the pressure inlet 61 and connects line 66 with a vent opening, this causing the spring 65 to move the syrup separator to its unseated or raised position. Hence SSSV maybe said to be normally open? so thatair pressure normally is transmitted through it to the pistons 63 and normally holds the syrup deflecting ring in its seated position where it deflects syrup flowing down the curb wall 30, after having been purged from the contentsof the basket, into the inner trough 32.

The coordinated control 04 the desired phases of the machine operations is centered at a framing panel 10 depending from the framing 42 and carrying a suitably disposed control shaft section 12 which has a hand wheel 13 secured to its forward end as seen in Fig} 1 and Fig. 3. This control shaft section turns in a hub 14 fixed in panel 10, and this is surrounded by a relatively rotatable control sleeve 15. The shaft section l2 extends beyondhub'M-to the rear of panel 16 shaft section 16, which in turn isalig-ned axially with the backward end of shaft section 12.

The arm 15 has a head TI at its outer end formed with a bore parallel to the .axisof shaft sections 12 and 16, which bone receives and holds an elongated interlock pin 89 that projects forward beyond the front of framing panel In and projects backward into a. coaxial bore 8| formed in head 19 at the outer end of arm 18. The diameter of bore 8| is greater than the diameter of pin 80, and a pair of oppositely disposed set screws 82 and 83 is provided in. head 19 to bridge the space between the side wallof boreBl and pin 83 so as'to hold head 19 in an adjustably fixed relation to pin 80.

Thi adjustable interconnection between the split controlshaft sections 12 and It through their arms 16 and J8 and pin 8o enables the control apparatus on panel 10, though pre-assembled, to be installed easily with its centrifugal machine. The movement of hand wheel 13 from its counterclockwise limit of rotation (as viewed from the front) to its clockwise limit i to act through shaft sections 12 and I6, pinion .15, gear sector 14 and the clutch. s'hi-ftingmechanism .to put the clutch at its driveson position. The reverse movement of the hand wheel is to :move the clutchto its drive-01f position, which involves shifting collar in from its :full line position of Fig. to its broken line position of Fig. 5. It will be evident that the precise position ofshaft section .16 and pinion 15 corresponding to the drive-on position of the clutch will differ under difierent conditions of installation, yet the relatively adjustable split shaft arrangement herein provided permits such differences to be compen-' sated, through appropriate settings of the set screws 82 and 83, without changing the angle of movement of hand wheel 1.3, shaft section 1.2, arm I5 and pin 80, which movement aftectsother'functions of the control apparatus as hereinafter described.

On the back side of framing panel 10, .to the right of shaft section 12 a viewed in Fig. .1, a limit switch LS- haVingasWi-toh arm 85 ismounted in such position that this. am will be depressed to close electrical contacts .in "the limit switch, by the action of a cam 86 on the hub of arm '7 6,

-when '16 is disposed at its drive-on position,

-descri-bed.

From what has been described it will be evident that the movement of clutch ll, through the hand wheel and control shaft, to drive-on .position is accompanied by closing movement of the limit switch through .the action of zcamd'fi, while the reverse movement away from dnive-on position is accompanied by opening of the limit switch. These driveon. and drive-ofi movements of the .hand wheel can take place whenever desired, so that the driving action upon the centrifugal can :be established and interrupted 'at will to secure, through jogging oi the clutch, any low speeds of rotation of the basket .2 that may be desired for unloading the basket or foraeloading :it with a uniform wall of material "to be processed. The concurrent closing and opening movements lof the limit switch LS result in the timing control system staying energized to perform its functions only when the driving clutch is left engaged to go through a running or centrifuging period of the machine.

The control sleeve 15in -afront of panel 10 carr-ies a radial arm .iormed with axially spaced end hubs 9| and 9.2 which receive a connecting pin .93 that forms a connection dor twoother elements. At its forward and pin 93 carries pivotally a con.- necting block 94 secured to the left-hand end 95 of a brake connector yoke 96. This brake yoke extends transversely acrossthefront of :panel 10 to a point of connection of its night-hand end 91, through an adjustable rod and swivel iblOCk connection 98, with the end of the brake arm 23.

Secondly, an intermediate portion of connecting pin93 between the hubs 9| and 92 holds pivotally a block lilil secured to the end of the piston rod NH of an air cylinder 162. This air cylinder extends upwardly from its point of connection with pin 93 and is anchored pivotally at its base M on a pin I 05 secured to the framing panel 10. Thus,

the sleeve 15, arm '90, bnake yoke 96 and piston rod ll of cylinder I02 must move together as a unit havinga common center at the center of the connecting pin 93.

This center can describe an arc of rotation about the common axisof sleeve 15 and shaft section 72, from a clockwise limit of movement corresponding to the full line position of Fig. 1, in which the brake'arm 23 is positioned to hold the brake 20 in released or brake-off" position, to a counterclockwise limit of movement, corresponding to the position shown in Fig. '6, in which the brake arm 23 has been moved to hold the brake in its set or on position. The radial arm St on sleeve i5 .thus constitutes a brake setting arm, and the air cylinder (H12 constitutes a brake setting air-cylinder which acts to "move the brake element to brake-on position upon the admission of compressed air through a fluid pressure line I06 connected :to this cylinder at one end and connected at its other end :to .a pressure outlet ill! of asolenoid valve .BSV mounted on the framing 42. BSV may be a three-way solenoid valve of known construction. It receives an under pressure from a branch line 108 of the compressed air supply .line '69, and it preferably is organized so as to vent the fluid pressure line I06 when deenergized and to transmit fluid pressure from line 1.08 to line MB and into cylinder I02 when energized as hereinafter described.

From Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 it will be seen that in the brake-off position of the brake setting mechanism the center of the connecting pin 93 lies at a point vfar to one side of a straight ,line between the axis 99a of arm 9t and sleeve 15 and the axis Q-llb of articulation of yoke -96 to the brake arm .23.. In the brake-on position of this :mecha- .nism the center of the connecting pin 93 lies slightly to the other side of that straight line.

mechanism from the brake-off position of .fFig.

- to the ntakeon position of :Fig. :6.

described movements of the brake settin mechanism are coordinated or interlocked asrequired with the described movements of the clutch shifting mechanism through the relationship between the forward extension of the interlock pin 80 and a radial abutment or cam II provided by extensions III and H2 of the brake setting arm 90. As seen in Fig. l, the hand wheel 13, the control shaft sections I2 and I 6, the arms 16 and 18 and the pin 80 are located at their clockwise limit, corresponding to the drive-on position of the clutch, and the brake setting mechanism is in brake-off position. If new the brake setting mechanism is moved to brakeon position by action of the air cylinder I02, or by hand movement of the brake yoke 96,. the abutment H0 engaging the forward extension of pin 80 willfirst move that pin counterclockwise,

thus thrusting arms 16 and i8, shaft sections I2. and It and the clutch shifting mechanism away from drive-on position. The parts then assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, where the drive is off and the brake is on. If, then, the hand Wheel I3 is turned clockwise to move the clutch engaging elements from driveoff to drive-on position, the arm 16 and pin 80 must also move clockwise so as to thrust the brake setting mechanism from its-brake-on position of Fig. 6 to its brake-ofi position of Fig. 1 by the action of the forward extension of pin 80 against the cam or abutment III]. This brake releasing movement of the hand wheel can take place whenever the air cylinder I02 is vented through the solenoid BSV. Having taken place, the brake stays released in the position of Fig. l, and thehand wheel I3 then may be moved freely, without resistance, to establish a neutral condition of the machine with the drive oif and the brake on, or to have the brake off and the drive on, 'or to jog the driving clutch.

It remains to describe the manner of electrical control of the system. This involves the limit switch LS, the solenoids BSV, SSSV and WWSV and electrical push button devices PB! and P32, all on the control framing, as well as an electrically connected timer and relay panel P mounted elsewhere. In the use of several like machines to process the same grade of material, panel P preferably is remotely disposed at a location accommodating the like panels of the several machines. Panel carries adjustable time relays or time delay switches, preferably several of them in a composite unit such as the known Multifiex type timer, although separate timers or time delay switches may be used for each of the timing functions if desired. The panel also carries a relay CR for holding a control circuit.

Push button device PBI comprises two buttons S and RS. S is a stop button having normally open contacts in a circuit to BSV whereby,- upon pushing button S. BSV will be energized to cause immediate disconnection of the driving clutch and setting of the brake of the machine, irrespective of the then existing condition of operation of the automatic timing control system. Button RS is a reset button having normally closed contacts in one of the two lines, L2 or LI (Fig. 2), of the electrical control circuit, whereby upon pushing RS the control circuits are all opened and resetting of the timer and relay elements results, accompanied by deenergization of SSSV and BSV and the release of air pressure from the brake cylinder I 02.

Push button PBZ has two buttons W and SW, both interlocked and connected in the circuit to -WWSV. and also in the circuit to 888V if desired,

off detent being left inactive.

'the"ofi detent being left inactive.

syrup deflector 36 if desired, and upon depressing button SW the same contacts will be opened to stop the washing and re-seat the syrup separator. The Multifiex type timer is well known and need not be described in detail, except to point out that the form diagrammed comprises four timing contacts or circuits T, TI, T2 and T3 connected, respectively, with the timers own motivating mechanism, control relay CR, SSSV and WWSV; and each of thesecontacts or circuits canbe set, by the adjustment of an on detent and an off detent with respect to a timing scale, so that the timed action or circuit closing will occur at any desired interval in relation to starting the timer, according to the setting of the onzdetent, and will terminate at any desired interval in relation to starting the timer, according to the setting of the off detent. If the on detent is placed above the upper limit of the scale, its corresponding contact is closed when the timer is started, or energized, and if theoif detent is placed below the lower limit of the scale it is inactive, so that its corresponding'circuit, having been closed according to the setting of the on detent, stays closed until the timer is deenergized.

To illustrate the timer settings, it may be assumed that the machine described is to be used for processing a sugar massecuit-e which requires 60'seconds of purging, followed by 20 seconds of washing, followed in turn by 20 seconds of drying before disconnecting the driving power and setting the brake to stop the machine; also, that the syrup separator should be shifted from its seated to its unseated position 5 seconds after starting the washing, in order to collect wash syrup separately from green syrup, and that the'syrup separator should be reseated before the stopped machine is reloaded for another cycle.

In' such a case, the on detent of element T is set at the top of the scale, so that the T conoff detent of Tmay be set near the bottom of the scale so as to deenergize the timer motor in the event of an abnormally long period of inattention to the machine after it has completed the automatic phaseof an operating cycle. The on detent of the element TI is set at a 100 second interval from the top of the scale, the

The on detent of element T2 is set at a 65 second interval, The on detent of element T3 is set at a 60 second interval; and the "off detent of this element is set at an second interval.

Thecomplete cycle of operation'will now be described:

-Assume that the hand wheel has just been turned to its clockwise limit as above mentioned, the loading of basket 2 having been just completed, or having started upon so turning the hand wheel so as to take place during acceleration. The driving clutch 9 has thus been engaged, and the limit switch LS has been closed by cam 86; so the machine proceeds to accelerate to its full running speed and the timer proceeds to'operate due to the closing of contacts LS and T (Fig. 2). 1 After 60 seconds of purging, the timer contacts 1'3 are closed with the eifect of energizing 9 WWSV, whereupon the pressure. in line. 50 is released and wash. water flows under its own pressure through valve PV and sprayer 3|] to wash 80 seconds after the timer was energized, the

timer contacts T3 are reopened to terminate the washing period and start a drying period. This drying period continues for seconds while the sugar is spunat the full speed of the machine, and at the end of this period the timer contacts Tl are closed with the effect of energizing relay CR and causing it to close contacts CR through which BSV is energized. BSV then transmits air pressure from 6.9 through line I06. into the air cylinder I02, whereupon the air cylinder operates to thrust connecting pin '93 counterclockwise, and through the abutment face H0 of arm 90 to thrust interlock pin 80 counterclockwise, from the position shownin Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the driving clutch 9 is disengaged, the cam 86 is moved away from limit switch- LS so that contacts LS open, and the brake yoke 96 is moved to set the brake 2 0 and to hold it in on position by reason or its center of articulation at. 93 passing beyond a straight line through the centers at 99a and 99b. The force or pressure thus exerted on the brake is adjustable by adjusting the setting of yoke end 91 with respect to its coupling unit 98.

The machine thereupon decel'erates under the action of brake 2i), and during this braking period the contacts TI and CR stay closed, notwithstanding the opening of switch LS, by reason of the relay having closed. a holding circuit to the timer coil TC.

When the. machine has stopped the operator returning to unload the treated sugar from basket 2 first pushes button RS and then turns the hand wheel 13 clockwise to disengage the brake and engage clutch 9 for a brief interval sufficient to bring the basket to the desired unloading speed, usually about 50 R. P. M. The pushing of button RS opens line L2 of the control circuit, with the efiect of deenergizing the timer and relay so that the brake cylinder I02 is vented through'BSV, SSSV is positioned to transmit air pressure that re-seats the syrup separator, and the timer and relay CR reset of their own accord to their initial or inactive positions.

The basket 2 having been unloaded in the usual manner, the operator may find it desirable to clean the basket outlets and screens by the application of wash water, and in such event he simply pushes button W to energize WWSV and SSSV, causing a washing spray to be delivered into the slowly revolving basket and causing the resulting washings to be collected in the outer syrup trough 33. To terminate this cleansing of the basket, the operator pushes button SW which deenergizes WWSV and SSSV. Then he may turn the hand wheel I3 clockwise once more to bring the basket to the desired loading speed. Having done this he either moves the wheel counterclockwise momentarily to reset the timer and then turns it clockwise and loads the basket during the acceleration of the new running period, or else he moves the wheel counterclockwise or jogs it so as to load the basket at a more or less regulated speed and turns the wheel clockwise to start the new running period and the timer concurrently at the finish of loading. The automatic phase of the new operating cycle then proceeds in the same manner and with the same timing of its component operations as occurred in the cycle described before.

If abnormal or emergency stopping of the machine is desired at any time during its operation, the operator may simply press button S. This closes a circuit to BSV, which acts to admit air pressure into cylinder I02 and cause immediate drive connection and brake setting. In the event of failure of the electrical powersupply or of the supply of air pressure for the controls, the operator can bring about an emergency stopping of the machine by simply grasping the brake yoke 96 and moving it to brake-on position as above described.

The assembly on the control framing i2 and i0, comprising the hand wheel, control shaft section [5, arm 16, pin 80, control sleeve 15, connecting pin 93, air cylinder I02, solenoid valves BSV, SSSV and WWSV, push button devices PBI and PB2 and limit switch LS, can be prefabricated and transported as a unit for simple installation in connection with existing belt driven centrifugal machines. The elements of control panel P also are quite simple to assemble and install. The construction and organization of the various control elements, and the combination of electrical, fluid pressure and manual motivations employed for their working, bring about ease of operation of the controlled machine and render its operation foolproof under the conditions encountered in heavy centrifugal work.

It is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings are illustrative and that the improvements herein disclosed may be embodied in various forms of construction within the scope of the appended claims. For example, another embodiment using some of the improvements herein disclosed is shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 703,392, filed October 15, 1946.

I claim:

1. In centrifugal apparatus comprising a driving system having a drive control element movable to drive-on and drive-01f positions, a brake having a brake control element movable to brake-on and brake-off positions, a rotatable control shaft connected with said drive element to move it, a relatively rotatable control member coaxial with said shaft and connected with said brake element to move it, and coacting abutment elements connected respectively with said member and said shaft and disposed together at the brake-off, drive-on and the brake-on, drive-off positions of the apparatus so that rotation of the shaft to drive-on position moves the member from brake-on to brake-off position and so that rotation of the member from brake-off to brake-on position moves the shaft from drive-on to drive-off position, said member having a radial extension, a brake connector articulated at one end to said brake element and at its other end to said extension, the rotation of said member describing an are for the center of articulation of said other end from a point slightly to one side of a straight line between the axis of said member and the center of articulation of said one end to a point far to the 5 driving system havingfla clutch 'shifta'ble" to drive-on and drive-off positions, a suspended centrifugal spindle having a brake including a drum on said spindle and a brake control element movable to brake-on and brake-off? positions, a rotatable control shaft mounted'to one side and extending transversely of saidfspindle and connected with said clutchto shift it, a rela f tively rotatable control sleeve coaxial withsaid" shaft and having a. radial arm, a brake coninector extending transversely of said shaft and saidspindle, articulated at one end. to said brake element and articulated at its other end to; said sleeve arm, coacting abutment elements'c'qgp;

nected respectively with said sleeve andsaid shaft and disposed together at the brakegdfr, drive-on and the brake-on)?fdriveeoff positions of the apparatus so that rotation of; the

shaft to drive-onposition moves the sleeve and brake connections from 'brake-on tbffbralre: off positions and so that rotation of the sleeve from fbrake-off to brake-on, position moves the shaft and clutch connections from drive o'n to ,drive-ofi position, the rotation ,of said sleeve describing an are for the center of articulation of said other connector end from a point slightly to one side of a straight line between the axis of said sleeve and the center of articulation of said one end, to a point far to the other side of said straight line, to provide a releasable toggle locking action for the brake connections.

3. In centrifugal apparatus comprising a driving system having a, clutch shiftable to drive-on and drive-off positions, a suspended centrifugal spindle having a brake including a drum on said spindle and a brake control element movable to brake-on and brake-off positions, control framing disposed to one side of said spindle, a rotatable control shaft mounted in said framing, extending transversely of said spindle and connected with said clutch to shift it, a, relatively rotatable control sleeve mounted ,coaxially with said shaft and having a radial arm, a brake connector extending transversely of said shaft and said spindle, articulated at one end to said brake element and articulated at its other end to said sleeve arm, coacting abutment elements connected respectively with said sleeve and said shaft and disposed together at the brake-off, drive-on and the brake-on, drive-off positions of the apparatus so that rotation of the shaft to drive-on position moves the sleeve and brake connections from brake-on to brakeofi positions and so that rotation of the sleeve from brake-off to brake on position moves the shaft and clutch connections from "drive-on to drive-off position, the rotation of said sleeve 65 describing an arc for the center of articulation of said other connector end from a point slightly to one side of a straight line between the axis of said sleeve and the center of articulation of said one end, to a point far to the other side of said straight line, the brake element being disposed at brake-on position when the first-mentioned center is at the first-mentioned point so that the brake is releasably held on through a toggle looking action, and an air cylinder anchored to said 12 framing and having a piston rod articulated at its end to said sleeve arm to move said sleeve from brake-01f to brake-on position.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, said 5 sleeve arm having a radially extended face forming one of said abutment elements, said shaft carrying a radial arm behind said framing, the other abutment element comprising an elongated pin"held"in the end of said shaft arm and exl0 tending forward parallel to the axis of said shaft into the path of said face.

5. In centrifugal apparatus comprising a drivin systemhaving a clutch shiftable to driveon and drive-01f? positions, a suspended centrifugal spindlehaving a brake including a drum on said spindle and a brake control element movable to"brake-on" and brake-off positions, control framing disposed to one side of said spindle, a rotatable control shaft mounted in said framing,

extending'transversely of said spindle and connected with said clutch to shift it, a relatively rotatablefcontrol sleevemounted coaxially with said shaft and having aradial arm, a brake connector extending transversely of said shaft and said spin- *dle'farticulated at oneend to said brake element and articulated at its other. end to said sleeve arm, coacting abutment elements connected respectively with said sleeve and said shaft and disposed together at'the brake-01f, drive-on and 0 the brake-on, drive-off positions of the apparatus so'that rotation of the shaft to drive-on position moves the sleeve and brake connections from, "brake-on to brake-off positions and so that rotation of the sleeve from brake-off to brake-on position moves the shaft and clutch connections from fdrive-on to drive-off position, an air cylinder anchored to said framing and having a piston rod articulated at its end to said sleeve arm to move said sleeve from brake-off to 40 brake-on position, a compressed air supply line to said cylinder, a valve normally closing said line,-a control switch mounted onsaid framing, a cam on said shaft positioned to close said switch at the drive-on position of said shaft, and an electrical timing control system connected electrically with said switch, energized by the closing thereof and including timer controlled means connected with said valve to open the same to move the apparatus from brake-off, drive-on position to drive-off, brake-on position.

6. In apparatus as described in claim 5, a control shaft comprising two separate, aligned shaft sections, one section mounted in said framing, having a hand wheel on its forward end and carrying said cam and a radial arm connected with one of said abutment elements, the other section connected with said clutch, and an angularly adjustable interconnection between said shaft sections to permit adjustment of the other in relation to the clutch without changing the positions of said cam and said shaft arm relative to other parts on said framing.

7. In apparatus as described in claim 5, a control shaft comprising two separate, aligned shaft sections, one section mounted in said framing, having a hand wheel on its forward end and carrying said cam and a radial arm behind said framing, the other section connected with said clutch and carrying a radial arm adjacent the arm of said one section, said sleeve arm having a radially extended face forming one of the said abutment elements, the other abutment element comprising an elongated pin held in the end of the arm of said one section and extending forward parallel to the axis of said shaft into the path of said face, the end of the arm of said other shaft section formed with a recess larger than said pin, said pin having a backward extension extending into said recess, and adjustable means on said last-mentioned arm holding the same in adjustably fixed position relative to said backward extension.

8. Centrifugal apparatus comprising control sleeve arm, a fluid pressure cylinder anchored at its base to said panel and having a piston rod articulated to said sleeve arm, said sleeve arm having a radial abutment face, a pin held in said shaft arm extending forward parallel to the shaft into the path of said abutment face, solenoid valve means on said framing, a fluid pressure line from said valve means to said cylinder, a cam secured to move with said shaft arm, and a limit switch positioned on the back of said panel to be moved by said cam to energize and deenergize an electrical system controlling said valve means.

JOSEPH HER'IRICH.

No references cited. 

